Improved machine fob cutting soap



c. H. HARDY.

. Soap Cutter.

.Nm-70,205. 4 Pmqtedfoct. 29.1867.

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CYRUSl Hf. HARDY, OF `CHARLES'IOWN4 MASSACHUSETTS. Letters Patent No. 70,205, dated October 29, 1867..

IMPRVED MACHINE FOR CUTTING SOAP.

rdille Srlgctnle aferra tu in ilgrse sttert nteut :un making ont nf tige snuit TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, CYRUS H.,HARDY, of Charlestown, in the county of Middlesex, 'and Stateof Massachusetts, have invented a Machine for Cutting Soap, of which the following is a full, clear, and-'exact description,` reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, making part of, this specification, in which- Figure l is atpersp-ective view of my improved machine for cutting soap.V

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section through the same, the position of thegblock of soap being changed.

Figure 3, detailto be referred to.

The object of my invention is to dispense with much of the manual labor now required in the ordinary methods of cutting soap into bars, and consists in sliding the frame or receptacle containing the solid block of soap to be divided, from the truck to thc ways of a machine, and drawing the block of soap against a series of l horizontal wires, by which itis subdivided into slabs of the thickness required for the bar of soap;l another series of parallel wires being afterward drawn down vertically through the block, by which the slabs are divided into bars of therequired width,the operation' being performed `in much less time and with greater accuracy than when done by hand. r v

To enable othersv skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it outi In the said drawingsA is thcframework, provided with suitable ways a, upon which the frame orreceptacle containing the solid block of soap is deposited by drawing the truck, not shown, upon which it rests between the ways, and raising the, end of the machine next to it by turning the screw b, the frame being gradually lifted by the machine from oiy the truck, which is then free to be withdrawn. Rising from the framework .are s tandards B B', to which are secured bearings C for the reception of a horizontal roll, D, to one end ofwhich is fitted,V a cog-wheel, E, which is turned by a pinion, F, driven by hand applied to a crank, G.: To near each end ofl the roll D, at points c, within the bearings, is` fastened one end of a cord or rope, d', the other end of which is' provided with a hook, e, which ts over a hook,f, on each end of a cross-bar, H, (see fig. 1,) which bears against the outer end I of the frame in which the solid block of soap was made; the sides and opposite ends of thev frame being removed tofallow the block of soap to bel drawn through a series of horizontal wires, g, made adjustable at any required distance apart, corresponding to the thickness of a bar of soap, and tightened in place upon the sides of an open vertical frame, J. k are guide-rolls or pulleys, under'which the ropes d are conducted, in order to insure the direction of the draught line beinghorizonta-l when the block of soap is drawn through the horizontal wires g, after which the block is left divided into a number of slabs, the Width of each one of which is equal to the length of a bar of soap,and its thickness corresponding-to that of the bar.

The mechanism for cutting the slabs into equal divisions corresponding to the width of the bar will now be described." l 4 K is a post rising from the framework, to the `side of which and the standard B are secured bearings t', in which the ends of a horizontal shaft, L, are free to turn. M are segments of circular disks, which are secured innnovi ably to the shaft L, andvibrate in common therewith. Within these segmental disks rest the ends of a hori zontalI cross-pieee, N, which connects the lower ends of a. rectangular frame, O, into which fits an open frame, P, of similar form, provided with anges or edges It, upon which are secured the ends of wires F. Q is a horizontal drum or shaft, to one end of which is attached one end of each of three cords or ropes m n o, the other ends of the ropes being looped and fitting over pinsp in the ends of the rectangular frame O, and a pin, g, at one end of one ofthe segmental disks M, the outer-periphery ofwhich is slightly concave to prevent the rope o from slipping o` when wound up on the shaft Q, by powerl applied to a crankand gearing similar to that,

described for operating the frame J. Before commencing to bring the wires'Z down transversely across the slabs of soap, two hinged bars R are thrown up soas toallow the frame P and its wires Z to be drawn down into a horizontal position, which, through the construction and connection of the disks M, shaft L, and cross piece N above described, is readily done. The wires are first brought down so that the direction of their cutis for a short time almost vertical, after which they are pressed outward against the soap, and at a slight inclina" tion thereto, in the direction of the arrow 5, and tinallydrawn through it in a contrary direction, as indicated by the arrow 6. The frame is now detached from the rectangular frame or scat O, and`i` made narrow enough to fit between the frame J and standardsv B B', and suciently short to pass between the standards B B', itmay be drawn upon the Ways a out of the machine by the truck, with the soep cut in bars, which is then taken. to a.`

suitable place, where it is dried in a well-known manner.

Each of the wires g and Z is constructed as follows: At one end of'the wire is secured a curved strip or hook, 1, which ts over and slides upon one of the flanges at the side of its frame, the other end of the wire being fastened to a short rod, s, which passes through a guide-bar, t, which fits over the other side of its frame, the wire being tightened and held at any required place by turning a screw-nut, u, which rits on the outer end of the short rod s, the form of which at o is\square in section to prevent it from being turned in its guide-bar when turning the screw-nut u. It is evident that cord, or thin plates of metal, or other material, may be used instead of the wires, if desired, without departingfrom the spirit of my invention.

Claim. I claim a machine for cutting soap provided with Ways a for receiving the soap from and delivering it upon the truckf substantially as described.

I also claim one or more screws operated as described, for lifting the block of soap from the truck" to the ways of the machine, substantially as set forth. Y

I also claim pivoting the rectangular frame O to one side of the centre of vibration of the segmental disks M,vin order that the position of the wires Z when cutting the block of soap may be nearly horizontal, substan' tially as and for th'e purpose described.

I also claim the rod s rwith its screw-nut u, in combination with the guide-bar t and shoe r for adjusting and tightening the wire in place, substantially as described. CYRUS H. HARDY.A

Witnesses:

N. W. STEARNS, P. E. TEscnEMAcnnn. 

